Questions have been raised over grass cutting after Devon County Council slashed its contribution to the district authority.

The contribution from Devon County Council towards cutting verges in Mid Devon during 2016/17 was £15,310, in 2017/18 the contribution was reduced to £7,227.

Mid Devon District Council has provided a grass verge cutting service on behalf of Devon County Council for more than 20 years and has been receiving contributions from County Hall to provide the service. Recently town and parish councils have been asked to provide funding to MDDC to continue maintaining grass verges on land owned by DCC to the current standards.

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Councillor Jenny Roach (Silverton, Liberal) said she was asked by residents in Silverton if they could cut the grass themselves because they were “sick of looking at it.”

Cllr Roach said: “I walked around Silverton with two grounds maintenance guys and we looked at all the ground that we’ve got. All we need to know is, specifically who owns the ground, there is dispute over who owns one piece in Silverton which our grounds staff and Mid Devon are cutting, there’s another place which everybody thought was being cut and it wasn’t.

“I’m about trying to find other ways of grass cutting so that we can reduce our cost. I was asked the other day by a lady if she and her neighbour could pay themselves to have the grass cut because she’s sick of looking at it. They’re prepared to pay themselves because they don’t want to look out on grass that’s knee high.

“There are other places where the grass is very high. In communal areas, people shouldn’t have to walk through grass cuttings that are knee high. We have to get this sorted.

“We need clarity on who is paying for what and how many times it’s being cut. Silverton Parish Council is not going to pay for the cuts to have three cuts between April and September and five cuts between September and December which is what happened last year more or less.

1. Whether the budget is sufficient and if it isn't to put forward a request to Council for a supplementary budget to meet the cost of providing an effective service.

2. If it is impossible to provide extra funding, the Council should consider asset transfers to Parish Councils and individuals.

“Taxpayers are now facing the second year of a grass cutting regime which leaves the grass uncut for long periods.”

Following discussion at a meeting of the Environment Policy Development Group on Tuesday, September 5, it was decided further work was required to enable a thorough report to be submitted to the next meeting.

Cllr Roach although unhappy with the delay stated that she wished her motion to be discussed thoroughly and therefore agreed to a further deferral to allow for further work to take place.